Electrical switch connector assemblies are of course well-known in the art. In accordance with the principles and teachings of one well-known PRIOR ART electrical switch connector assembly as illustrated in FIG. 1, the structure of such electrical switch connector assembly, which is generally indicated by the reference character 10, comprises a housing 12 which is manufactured by AMP CORPORATION and within which there is defined a pair of receptacles 14,16. In turn, there is respectively inserted, within each one of the pair of receptacles 14,16 a spade-type connector contact, not shown, having an electrical wire 18,20 secured, by a means of a suitable crimping operation, upon the non-spade end thereof.
The housing 12 further comprises a third receptacle 22 which is axially offset with respect to the aforenoted pair of receptacles 14,16 and which is adapted to house a third common or ground spade-type connector contact, also not shown. The non-spade end of the third common spade-type connector contact has a first end of a third electrical wire 24, also connected thereto by means of a suitable crimping operation, while a second opposite end of the third electrical wire 24 is adapted to be connected to, for example, the second one of the pair of spade-type connector contacts disposed within the pair of receptacles 14,16 and to which the second one 20 of the pair of electrical wires 18,20 is already connected. It is also noted that the portion of the housing 12 within which the third receptacle 22 is defined is partially separated from the portion of the housing 12 within which the first and second receptacles 14,16 are defined by means of an axially extending slot 26 such that the third receptacle portion of the housing 12 is in effect flexibly mounted upon the main housing portion, within which the receptacles 14,16 are defined, in a cantilevered manner. This housing structure permits the spade-end contact portions of the electrical switch connector assembly 10 to be electrically connected to any one of various microswitch elements or components despite the fact that the electrical contacts of such microswitch elements or components, which are adapted to electrically mate with or engage the electrical contacts of the assembly 10, may be somewhat different or vary in configuration with respect to each other.
While the aforenoted well-known PRIOR ART electrical switch connector assembly 10 has of course exhibited suitable service and has been commercially successful, such PRIOR ART electrical switch connector assembly 10 also exhibits several operational and assembly drawbacks or disadvantages. For example, each one of the spade-type connector contacts of the electrical switch connector assembly 10 must be individually crimped onto the end portions of the electrical wires 18,20,24. In addition, each one of the spade contact-electrical wire assemblies, comprising the electrical wires 18,20,24 and their respective spade-type connector contacts crimped thereon, must be individually manually inserted within a particular one of the housing receptacles 14,16,22. Not only are such individual assembly operations time-consuming and tedious, but in addition, it is difficult to ensure that the crimping operations of the spade-type connector contacts upon the electrical wires 18,20, 24 are always properly performed. Still further, it must be additionally ensured that the proper spade contact-electrical wire assemblies are inserted within the proper receptacles 14, 16,22 in order to, in turn, ensure the fact that the switch-connector assembly has its electrical paths properly routed. Still further, it is additionally noted that the electrical switch connector assembly 10 is not provided with any strain relief means so as to prevent undue strains or stresses from being impressed upon the electrical wires 18,20,24 and their associated spade-type connector contacts. The impression of such strains or stresses upon the electrical wires 18,20,24 and their associated contacts could possibly lead to disengagement or disconnection of the wires 18,20,24 from their associated contacts with obvious deleterious effects upon the associated switch and the machinery or equipment within which such components are installed.
A need therefore exists in the art for a new and improved electrical switch connector assembly which is readily capable of being easily assembled, which can be assembled by automated machinery, which is capable of being mated, engaged, or operatively connected with several different switch elements or components, and which comprises strain relief structure so as to effectively prevent strains or stresses impressed upon the electrical wires from being transmitted directly to the connection points or locations defined between the wires and the electrical switch connector contacts.